Dickerson is a huge Foster fan, saying he likes his running style because it resembles the style that helped him reach the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“Guys like Arian and I, we did it kind of different, to where people might say we’re not running hard because we’re so smooth,” Dickerson said. “That’s the word I’d use to describe him: smooth.

“He’s a great player and it’s almost like he does it kind of effortlessly. It’s good in a way, but it’s bad too because there is a stigma that some think you’re not even trying. So smooth. When you see Adrian Peterson running, ain’t no doubt that boy is trying hard. That’s just the way he runs. Arian, make it look like poetry.”

Foster does indeed have a stride that reminds one of Dickerson, though at 6-3, 225, Dickerson was slightly taller than Foster (6-1, 229) and Foster isn’t as fast as the speedy Dickerson, who won the 100 meters at the state track meet in high school.

“I’ve seen highlights and seen guys trying to catch him, but they couldn’t and it didn’t look like he was running that fast,” Dickerson said. “I figure he’s got to be fast when nobody is catching him.”

“He’s like an Earl Campbell, just pounds people,” Dickerson said. “But football is a brutal sport, it’s a great sport, but they didn’t do the right thing in trying to protect players back when we played like they do now.

“If my son wanted to play I would not discourage him, but I would tell him make sure this is what you want to do. I wouldn’t push him out on the field because that’s what I did.”

I saw Dickerson at the Masters and he looked like he could still tote the rock, but he laughed at that notion.

“What you didn’t see was how my back was killing me so bad I just wanted to sit down on the ground, right on the fairway,” he laughed. “I try to stay in shape, but I was beat up pretty good from the sport.”